Chapter 47 Chapter 47
Amelia
I froze the moment I saw what was happening. At the sound of my heels clicking against the floor, Maxwell lifted his head. Our eyes met instantly, and a slow, arrogant smirk curved his lips, like he had been waiting for this moment.
The woman beneath the desk straightened up and turned toward me. It was Camilla, she casually wiped her mouth with her finger and smiled at me, smug and unbothered. “Hello,” she said lightly, then tilted her head toward
Maxwell. “What’s her name again?”
Maxwell didn’t answer. His gaze never left mine, intense and unreadable.
Camilla laughed softly. “I heard you work here now as his secretary.” Her eyes swept over me. “Funny, I thought you used to be a CEO.”
I ignored her completely, anger burned through me, hot and sharp. So this was why he kept me waiting, because he was busy being pleasured. If he had so many women willing to throw themselves at him, why did he always find a way to pull me back into his orbit?
Jealousy rose inside me before I could stop it, and I hated myself for it. He meant nothing to me.
“I was wondering why I was kept waiting,” I said calmly, though my chest felt tight. “I can see you are occupied.” I forced a small smile.
“Carry on. I will find my way home.”
Camilla smiled triumphantly and settled herself comfortably on Maxwell’s lap, wrapping an arm around his neck. “Good for you,” she said sweetly. “Because my baby and I are just getting started, and we’re going to be here for a very long time.” She placed extra emphasis on very.
I didn’t respond. There was no point creating a scene, I turned around and walked out of the room. He means nothing to me, I repeated silently as I returned to my office. I grabbed my bag, took one last look around, and left the building without looking back.
On my way out, I called Adele and told her I was coming over. When she opened the door, she looked upset, almost angry, and immediately stepped aside to let me in.
As soon as I entered the living room, my eyes landed on a bouquet of flowers resting neatly on the table beside a box. Curious, I picked up the flowers and inhaled their scent. “Mr. Blackthorn sure knows how to sweep a lady off her feet,” I said lightly, taking another breath.
“They are from Killian,” Adele said. I froze, the flowers slipped from my hands and fell to the floor.
“What?” I exclaimed. “What the hell does that leech want?” I scoffed. “After the embarrassment he suffered at the restaurant, he still has the audacity to send you flowers and a gift?”
“I found them at my doorstep,” Adele said angrily. “I honestly thought they were from Rafe.” She crossed her arms and shook her head. “I’m throwing them in the trash. I wish I still had his number—I deleted it a long time ago. I would’ve told him to come pick up his trash himself.” Her voice was sharp with disgust.
I shook my head slowly. “No, you’re not throwing them away,” I said firmly. “We’ll find his address and send everything back to him. Or better yet, to the woman you said he’s seeing.” A small smile tugged at my lips. “What better way to ruin a parasitic relationship?” I paused, then added seriously, “And please, honey, never ask him to come here to pick up anything. Ever.”
I sat down on the couch, crossing my legs.
“I’ll send them back,” Adele muttered. Then she glanced at me. “I was surprised when you said you were coming over. I thought you’d be driving home with your husband.”
“So did I,” I replied flatly. “But he was busy pleasuring himself, so I had to find my way home on my own.”
Her eyes widened, and I went on to narrate everything that had happened at the office. By the time I finished, Adele was furious.
“What audacity,” she snapped. “So he gets to sleep around with other women while you’re expected to stay loyal to him?”
I shrugged. “Well, we didn’t exactly sign up for better or worse.” I looked at her calmly. “That means I can also do whatever I want. Which is why I’m here.”
She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously. “And why exactly are you here?”
I leaned back against the couch. “Can we go out tonight? I don’t want to be alone.” I sighed.
“Let’s just have fun. Maybe I’ll find a hot stranger to help clear my head.”
Adele stared at me for a second, then broke into a mischievous grin. “Girl, I’m in,” she said excitedly, already getting to her feet. “Come on, let’s get dressed.”
I changed into one of Adele’s dresses, something simple but flattering, and we headed to a club not too far away. The place wasn’t crowded since it wasn’t the weekend, which made the atmosphere calm but a little dull. We ordered drinks and took our seats while soft music played in the background.
As I sipped my drink, my eyes wandered around the room, scanning faces, hoping to spot at least one man who looked interesting enough to spend the night with. I didn’t find anyone.
Maybe it was because, without realizing it, I was comparing every man there to Maxwell. Once I noticed that, I sighed and looked away. It was exhausting, so I stopped searching altogether.
Instead, Adele and I danced, laughed a little, and had a few more drinks. After some time, the excitement faded, and we both silently agreed it was best to call it a night.
On the ride home, I stared out the window, lost in my thoughts. Another night alone, I thought bitterly. It had been so long since I felt the touch of a real man. Maxwell was the last man I had been with—and that was five years ago.
My body ached for real intimacy, the kind of wild, passionate connection I used to know back then.
Adele pulled up in front of my house and parked. She turned to me with a worried look.
“If your husband throws you out.” she said firmly, “don’t hesitate to call me.”
I gave a tired smile. “He’s busy with Camilla,” I replied quietly. “He won’t even notice whether I’m home or not.”
I leaned over and hugged her tightly, grateful for her presence. Then I stepped out of the car and watched her drive away before turning toward the house.
I reached the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. I tried again, twisting the key harder this time, but it still didn’t work. I knocked, then banged on the door, It was late, and I knew most of the servants would already be asleep. Did Maxwell change the locks? The thought made my blood boil.
I stood there for almost ten minutes, knocking, fumbling with the lock, trying everything. By the time my arm ached and my patience ran out, I was exhausted and furious. I pulled out my phone and decided to call Adele. He’s going to beg me for months before I ever step foot in this house again, I thought angrily as I dialed her number.
Before the call could even connect, the door suddenly swung open.
I quickly ended the call. Maxwell stood in front of me, shirtless, wearing grey sweatpants. For a brief moment, all the anger I had been holding onto slipped away as my eyes betrayed me, taking him in. His broad chest, his familiar presence, it was exactly the kind of sight I had been unconsciously searching for at the club.
I snapped out of it immediately. “Why did you change the door lock?” I demanded, glaring at him.
He didn’t answer my question. Instead, his eyes swept over me slowly. “Why are you just getting home at this hour?” he shot back.
I pushed past him without a word and walked into the house. I didn’t get far.
In a blur, my back was pressed against the wall, and Maxwell stepped in front of me, his body blocking any escape. His arms braced on either side of me, caging me in.
“Answer me,” he said sharply. “Where are you coming from, dressed like this?”